Consistency the key for MacDonald and Scotland

Ewan MacDonald insists Scotland must now find some consistency after ending their World Men’s Curling Championships in Beijing with defeat.

Looking to end on a high skip MacDonald lead Scotland out to face Germany as they took to the Chinese ice for one final time.

However the Scots’ campaign ended on a sour note as they suffered their biggest margin of defeat at the Championships with Germany winning 10-3.

This meant that Scotland’s overall record in Beijing sat at three wins and eight losses, with MacDonald admitting that their topsy-turvy performances need addressing.

“It was sad finishing like that. It was the third end [that cost Scotland victory], of course,” MacDonald said.

“We just didn’t get going. There have been moments when we’ve been pretty good, but also moments when we’ve been pretty bad – we’ve just not been consistent enough.”

After two ends Scotland were well in the contest at 1-1, but the damage was done in the third as German skip John Jahr – who announced his retirement after the match – scored five points for a commanding lead.

MacDonald and Scotland did their best to fight back but could only blank the next end and score two in the fifth.

Germany then scored two in the sixth end and stole a further two in the seventh, forcing MacDonald to concede defeat – Jahr and co finishing the competition in eighth.

Table-toppers Norway will now play Canada in the Page one versus two Play-off, while third-placed Switzerland will face the winner of a tie-breaker between Japan and Sweden in the Page three versus four Game.